NATHAN Jones says he hasn’t seen Melbourne play team football like the way it has in recent weeks since his first year at the club, when he played finals in 2006.
Jones said “belief and confidence in the group is the noticeable difference” compared to recent years.
“I’ve played with a lot of the boys that were here for the last few years and it’s been pretty tough times,” the co-captain told Dee TV.
“I think Roosy has instilled some confidence and belief in the group … that’s a credit to the coaching group and in particular Roosy, who is really driving that as a priority.
“A real cornerstone of our game is our teamwork and our abilities to play our roles for the team. That’s probably what’s bringing on the success for us … and that’s going to be the real backbone for us going forward.”
Jones, who has again been in outstanding form this year, and will be right in the mix for his third successive best and fairest, said he simply wanted to play in a winning team – rather than star in a losing side.
He added that Paul Roos had instilled plenty of belief in him, but the challenge was to keep it going.
“It’s always easier when the team’s going better and I’ve always had that view that a lot of the competition’s best players are surrounded by a pretty good team themselves,” he said.
“I’ve always had belief in my own ability, but I knew the position I was in and I was aware of the reality of that. I’ve tried my hardest to improve in whatever circumstances were available to me.
“This year, I’ve got a lot more support and the boys have been terrific in there … the reliance on me to get career-best numbers isn’t as prevalent and we get guys like Dom [Tyson] stand up … the reliance is more on the team, rather than the individual.”
In his first year as co-captain, Jones said it had been an “eye-opener” and “a great experience”.
“I think we’ve taken some real steps forward as a team and it’s allowed me to develop different areas of my leadership,” he said.
“Roosy has been really strong in pushing the leaders out of their comfort level and to another level. For Grimesy and I, it’s been a great challenge and it’s been really exciting for us as well to get a few wins on the board at the half-way mark of the year.
“I’m really enjoying it and hopefully we’ll continue on that form and have some more success in the second half [of the season].”
Meanwhile, Jones said he would love to see the reintroduction of State of Origin or representative football.
“I think a lot of players, in particular the senior players, would love to see some form of it – whether it was a State of Origin or All-Stars [concept], like east versus west, although I don’t know how they’d set it up,” he said.
“I think it’d just be great for the game, if they could market it in the right way. I think it’d be really exciting and something that I’d love to be involved in, if possible.
“More so, just to watch or just get the best players involved in something like that – I think you see it work really well in the NBA and the NFL.
“I think it’s something the AFL should really consider and I think they are trying to work out something – whether it’s the International Rules series again and get it back up to the level that it was.
“Or add in an All-Stars/State of Origin game – I’m not quite sure at the moment, but whatever way they go – a representative game would be terrific.”
